Burglary suspect waives arraignment

DOVER — A Rochester man who was indicted by a Strafford County Superior Court grand jury on a burglary charge this month, waived his arraignment on Thursday.

Sean Sardinia, 25, of 6 Russell St., allegedly entered the occupied Main Street residence of another man, without privilege to enter, with the purpose to commit assault, according to the indictment.

The charge, out of Farmington, was part of an incident in which Sardinia allegedly entered the residence and assaulted occupants by punching and pushing them.

Police said he’s also alleged to have taken a phone from an occupant who was trying to report the incident and thrown it across the room.

In addition, Sardinia allegedly threatened to stab occupants, but police said he never brandished a knife.

Aside from the burglary charge, he was also charged with criminal threatening, obstruction of report of a crime, and four simple assaults for the incident, which occurred just after midnight on July 13.

The only charge he was indicted on is the Class A felony of burglary, which could result in up to 7½ to 15 years in prison and up to $4,000 in fines.

All of the misdemeanor charges were nolle prossed, or will not be prosecuted, when the case was bound over to superior court. According to court documents, the six charges will be used as information on the remaining charge.

Sardinia will have a dispositional conference scheduled in Strafford County Superior Court.

An indictment is not an indication of guilt; rather, it means a jury found sufficient evidence to warrant a trial.